6 am onwards

Jul 19, 2026

How much of our lives is a blur. We gaze out of a car window absently - and see everything merged into everything else. People, shops, cars, buildings, everything. And we simply don’t realize that the world has thrown us stories every step of the way - and we have simply ignored them.

All we have to do is notice. Give our attention to what’s behind the blur. And we become part of a rich tapestry of experiences and beauty, of humour and tiny tragedies, of knowing what makes people what they are in those tiny unnoticed moments of their lives. We capture people at their most poignant, naked, raw of artifice.

Today morning, I decided to observe the minutiae of life happening around me, for an hour, as I did my walk in the building complex I stay in. It was a cloudy cool morning with intimations of rain. And to my absolute delight, I discovered delightful tiny stories happening, right around me, stitched into a moment. Incipient to conclusions, truthful strands of life passing by, relations revealing in a flash, or the universe revealing itself in passing.

And suddenly an ordinary morning became one rich with meaning, symbolism and beauty.

A guard who usually always says good morning, turns his face away! (What had I inadvertently done?!)

A guard says “suprabhat” instead of the usual “good morning, sir”.

A maid parks her blue-colored cycle and bends low to lock it, her blue-colored ribbon aflutter in the light breeze.

A couple walks, with the wife exactly 3/4 feet behind him - obviously they have the same speed - but they don’t walk together.

Jaise pani paas pyase, tere paas main. Song from Main Vapas Aaunga on my air pods.

Man from Blink-It parks his motorcycle and transfers goods from his ubiquitous green bag into a yellow plastic bag.

An old lady walks hand-in-hand with her sister, white frangipanis in their hair.

A dog lives the good life - obviously a late riser like Devang

A frangipani falls down on a leaf - ready for a ride together till the two shall part!

A rickshaw for kids blows its horn right behind me - and startles me - and there is a suppressed chortle of laughter from a couple of kids already sitting inside!

An old woman in a 7th floor balcony is sitting on a chair and gets her hair oiled and braided by a maid,

A tiny water container hangs from the trunk of a tree for thirsty birds.

A cherry allamanda bends low in its happy burden.

A car cleaner rubs the tyre-rim of a Fortuner as if his life depended on its perfect sheen.

I pass the famous black dachshund who only passes urine after jumping onto the cement divider to the path!

A tree bends low after the storm, acknowledging awe.

A pixie-looking tiny lady is walking her son to the school bus - a single tiny braid, a long skirt and crocs, immersed in her mobile, even as her son watches a butterfly fly by, a big smile on his face.

A determined boy with a school uniform and bag whizzes bat-fast on a bicycle! Full of intent. But after reaching the school bus, what will happen to the cycle?

A water snake shows its back briefly as it glides across the pond towards the three blossoming lotuses.

A man walks past, his hair a riot, as if he forgot to comb his hair before stepping out of his house.

A maid cycles past, nose in the air, lipstick and nail polish a bright red.

A bird scurries past with a worm in her beak - in a hurry to take it to her kids or just a feast for herself!

The building guard borrows a newspaper from the paper delivery boy as he goes with his pile into the building - ten minutes of peaceful scanning of the headlines!

Four sentinel planters - one already injured - guarding the glory of their iridescent mate.